Service dogs bill en route to governor

A bill that ensures food establishments cannot deny entrance to a service canine, including dogs assisting people with post-traumatic stress disorder, is en route to Gov. Rick Perry’s desk for a signature.

A bill regarding service dogs is on its way to Gov. Rick Perry for approval.

The proposal amends the state’s Health and Safety Code to ensure service canines could accompany people who are blind, deaf, in a wheelchair, suffer a seizure disorder, have a mental illness or endure PTSD. If the person’s disability is not apparent, employees may ask only “whether the assistance animal was required because the person had a disability, and what type of work the animal was trained to perform.”

If someone discriminates against a disabled person, the proposal states, they could be fined up to $300 and have to undergo 30 hours of community service. The fine is capped at $200 for the misdemeanor offense of someone who “falsely presented an animal as an assistance animal,” and 30 hours of community service is also mandated in those cases. The bill would also increase the damages a disabled person could seek for discrimination from $100 to $300.

Menéndez has said that one of the intents of the bill was to help veterans, as, “A lot of vets were being denied access because you couldn’t see their disability.”

If Perry signs the proposal, he would also be establishing Oct. 15 as White Cane Safety and Assistance Animal Recognition Day.